About 8,000 tablet devices such as iPads will soon be issued to servicemen to sharpen their fighting skills, the Ministry of Defence said. (photo : The Straits Times)

FROM November, recruits doing Basic Military Training (BMT) will be armed with one more 'weapon' - a handheld touchscreen device such as an iPad - to sharpen their fighting skills.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Defence Ministry said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) plans to issue about 8,000 sets, including to every recruit in the BMT Centre and those in other institutes such as the Officer Cadet School and the Specialist Cadet School, as well as to servicemen in the air force and naval training schools.